“Knock-Knock” is No Joke:

Real Estate Professionals Find Out “Who’s There” By Knocking on Doors

Sunday morning. 7am. Berkeley Hills Realty co-owner Bill McDowell quietly posts signs for an open house at 2pm. At nine, he starts strolling the neighborhood. He chats with neighbors, pets puppies, stands as a cheerful target for children on bikes, hands groggy couples their Sunday paper, and personally invites each person he meets to the open house. He may or may not have on the special M&M tie fellow agent MayaTrilling gave him to tease him about his signature stash of peanut M&Ms. He will have on a smile. You’d be wise to bet the house he is representing with fellow co-owner of Berkeley HillsRealty, Tracy Sichterman, will sell and come fully equipped with good vibes for the new owners. That success can be attributed to the powerful combination of Tracy’s online marketing campaign and her gentle nurturing of each client coupled with Bill’s careful research and gregarious door-to-door visits. This broker pair encourages all of the agents at Berkeley Hills Realty to use their individual mixes of digital push and personal pull to embrace the company’s motto: “Small Town Ethics. Big World View.”

Bill and Tracy are not alone. Many real estate professionals are linking their technological savvy with more traditional methods of marketing to get quantifiably positive results in a chaotic market climate. 

Are you a real estate professional thinking of strapping on your foot-in-the-door shoes? Here are three quick tips to consider when knocking on doors:

1. Never Show Up Empty-Handed: Some agents hand out a formal invitation to an open house. Others combine the invitation with small, useful gifts-- a calendar, a key chain flash drive, or snacks. When a name is added to their mailing list, some agents offer a chance to win a bottle of wine or entry into a drawing for a prize.  Include your business card in your package of goodies, but have more than your business card to share.

2. Know Before You Go: Do your research and know the neighborhood. Read the neighborhood association newsletter, the local paper, and all of the signs posted in the neighborhood (and neighborhood businesses). When you know a little bit about the neighborhood you are likely to be more comfortable, which means you and your message are more likely to be welcomed.

3. Share the Knowledge: Any information that can positively impact a homeowner’s investment or help a buyer to evaluate the market is likely to be well-received. Know what the concerns of local residents are and come armed with solutions, suggestions, and referrals. Do you know a good landscaper, contractor, house sitter? Be ready and willing to share that information if the topic comes up.

The best way to find out how door-knocking works is to talk to agents who are already working it. Find out which agents are getting good results with this method and ask for their advice while treating them dinner or coffee. Knocking on doors to find out “who’s there” might just be the key to boosting your real estate dream to the next level.

Video Home Tour of 8379 Terrace Drive, El Cerrito

Presented by Bill McDowell and Tracy Sichterman
More at www.8379Terrace.com

Tracy Sichterman and Bill McDowell take over Berkeley Hills Realt

BERKELEY, CA – September 2009 – After joining the Berkeley Hills Realty ownership team in 2005, longtime agents Tracy Sichterman and Bill McDowell have taken full ownership of the prestigious real estate firm. Former co-owners Peter Damm and Nancy Mueller will stay on as active brokers and mentors, serving East Bay buyers and sellers of residential real estate.

Sichterman, who is married and has two children, says she is excited by the idea of heading the firm with McDowell, her longtime business partner. And Damm says there is no one he and Mueller would rather turn the company over to.

“Bill and Tracy are a highly experienced, dynamic team," he says. "Bill is rock solid, smart, and diligent. Tracy has great energy, imagination, and tech savvy. Both are terrific with people and devoted to protecting their clients’ interests."

For Damm and Mueller – who have no plans to retire – the sale means starting a new phase of their active work life. "When we took over the firm in 1996, we agreed that we would do this for ten years," he says. "Well, thirteen years have passed, so it's time to step down as owners-managers, but continue working with clients and helping mentor younger agents.” The two are now what Mueller jokingly calls “brokers emeriti.”

Tracy Sichterman grew up around real estate, as her mother owned a firm in Wisconsin. "One of the great things Mom taught us was how to be good to people and take care of their interests as a first priority," she says.

Though trained as a painter and sculptor, Sichterman found she loved the family business. Among other things, she was surprised to find how creative real estate work can be. She enjoys every step of the process, she says, from getting a house ready to sell and publicizing the sale to helping buyers deal with inspections and financing.

Whereas Sichterman came to real estate from art, Bill McDowell's background was in retail. "I've had two main jobs in my life," says McDowell, who grew up in the East Bay. "First I managed a sporting goods store, and then I decided to become a realtor."

After years in retail, McDowell moved into real estate in 1988. He initially went to work for Mason-McDuffie, but his impressive skills and background earned him a berth at Berkeley Hills Realty. "When Peter and Nancy bought Berkeley Hills in 1996, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse," he says with a laugh. Says Nancy Mueller: “We had great respect for Bill’s ability and integrity, and we wanted to make him the third member of our management team.”

Though McDowell moved into management, he continued dealing with clients, and often found himself working on projects with Sichterman. "Tracy could always add a creative element to my listings," he said. "She would take some bare-bones ad I had written – something like, 'Rockridge, 2BR, 1BA, $350,000' – and give it style and appeal.” In time, Sichterman and McDowell formalized their business partnership, and in 2005 they became co-owners with Damm and Mueller. By now becoming sole owners of the firm, they are raising their partnership to a new level.

Berkeley Hills Realty has long been recognized as one of the market leaders in East Bay real estate. Founded as Berkeley Realty, the firm has more than fifty years of experience with residential properties in Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, Piedmont, El Cerrito, and Emeryville. For more information, call 510-524-9888 or visit the firm’s web site at www.berkhills.com.

Contact Information

Tracy Sichterman: 510-524-1700 x27; 510-520-0076 (cell); tracy@berkhills.com.

Bill McDowell 510-524-1700 x30; 510-282-4673 (cell); billmberk@aol.com.

Peter Damm 510-524-1700 x13; 510-915-9147 (cell); peter@berkhills.com.

Nancy Mueller 510-524-1700 x20; 510-541-0552 (cell); nancy@berkhills.com.